Crates

ABSTRACT

A collapsible crate for transporting goods, the crate having an upstanding wall, at least a portion of which is movable, locating feature and releasable locking feature for releasably securing the movable wall portion relative to the crate, wherein the locating feature has a projection receivable within a recess or aperture to align, in use, the movable wall portion relative to the crate such that the movable wall portion is releasably securable by the locking feature.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application takes its is a reissue application of Ser. No.12/370,966, filed on Feb. 13, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,427 whichclaims priority under Section 35 USC 119(a) from to British ApplicationNo. GB 0802642.9, filed on Feb. 13, 2008, and whose entire disclosure isincorporated by reference therein herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to crates, and more specifically, to re-usablecrates in which goods may be transported, for example in sea goingcontainers. More specifically, although not exclusively, the inventionrelates to a crate which can be used to transport relatively heavygoods, for example which can be packed to a high density in standardisedlarge shipping containers and/or which can be collapsed to reduce spacefor transporting or storage when empty.

Crates for this purpose have been proposed such as that which isdisclosed in WO 03/055755 (co-owned by the applicant), the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein. The crate disclosed in thisdocument includes a base with feet, corner posts, a pair of opposedlonger side walls and a pair of shorter end walls, each side wallcomprising a pair of hinged panels mounted between hinged corner posts,the panels and posts being mutually rotatable about their hinges toallow collapse of the walls into an area defined by the base.

Other crates have also been proposed, for example: WO 99/14137, IT1234634, DE 2442322, WO 95/09110, WO 03/055755, GB 2180820, GB 2216101,U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,574 and WO 93/03981.

It is a non-exclusive object of the invention to provide an improvedcrate, for example a collapsible crate, for transporting goods.

It is a further, more specific, non-exclusive object of the invention toprovide a collapsible crate having a wall portion which is movableand/or removable for providing access to the contents of the crate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided acollapsible crate for transporting goods, the crate comprising anupstanding wall, at least a portion of which is movable, locating meansand releasable locking means for releasably securing the movable wallportion relative to the crate, wherein the locating means comprises aprojection receivable within a recess or aperture to align, in use, themovable wall portion relative to the crate such that the movable wallportion is releasably securable by the locking means.

The locating means or a further locating means may be at or adjacent alower portion, for example an edge, of the wall portion and/or at oradjacent an upper portion, for example an end or edge, or the movablewall portion. The releasable locking means may be at or adjacent anupper portion, for example an end or edge, of the removable wallportion. The locating means or further locating means may operablycooperate, in use, with the locking means, for example to secure thelower portion, for example an end or edge, of the removable wall portionagainst movement thereof.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided acollapsible crate for transporting goods, the crate comprising anupstanding wall, at least a portion of which is removable, locatingmeans at or adjacent a lower portion, for example an edge, of the wallportion and releasable locking means at or adjacent an upper portion,for example an end or edge, of the removable wall portion, wherein thelocating means is operably cooperable, in use, with the locking means tosecure the lower end or edge of the removable wall portion againstmovement thereof.

The locating means may comprise a projection, for example on one of theremovable wall portion or adjacent portion of the crate, received orreceivable within a recess or aperture, for example in the other of thewall portion or adjacent portion of the crate.

The projection may be located on a fixed or fixable portion of the walland/or may extend upwardly. Alternatively or additionally the or aprojection may be located on a lower edge of the removable wall portionand/or may extend downwardly, for example to be received or receivablewithin the or an aperture or recess in the or a fixed or fixable wallportion. The projection and/or recess or aperture may extend along atleast a portion, for example substantially the entire length, of the oran edge of the removable wall portion or crate or fixed or fixable wallportion.

Additionally or alternatively, the locating means or further locatingmeans may be located at or adjacent the or an upper end or edge of theremovable wall portion. The locating means or further locating means maycomprise a projection, for example a spigot, which may be on one of theremovable wall portion or adjacent portion of the crate and/or may bereceivable within a recess or aperture, for example in the other of theremovable wall portion or adjacent portion of the crate. The adjacentportion of the crate may be the or a fixed or fixable portion of thewall. The locating means or further locating means may comprise aprojection at or adjacent each upper corner of the removable wallportion.

The fixed or fixable wall portion may be pivotable, in use, relative toa base of the crate. The crate may further comprise a further threewalls, for example such that the crate comprises an open top and/or mayinclude a cover, for example a removable cover. The or a base of thecrate may be square or rectangular in plan, for example wherein thecrate is of cubi-form or parallelepiped form.

The locking means may comprise a locking pin, for example which isresiliently biased such as spring-loaded, mounted or located in, on oradjacent one of the movable or removable wall portion and the crate, forexample the fixed or fixable wall portion. The locking pin may bereceivable within an aperture or hole in the other of the movable orremovable wall portion and the crate, for example the fixed or fixableframe portion.

The crate may further comprise an extension portion, wherein theextension portion is provided on the upper face of the crate such that,in use, for example when one crate is stacked upon another, theextension portion engages within a recess on the underside of animmediate above crate.

The extension portion and the recess may be interchanged in alternativeembodiments of the invention.

The upstanding wall of the crate may be affixed to a base of the crateby hinge means.

The hinge means may comprise a hinge pin, a hinge leg and a hinge slot,wherein one of the hinge leg or the hinge slot is attached to theupstanding wall and the other of the hinge leg or the hinge slot isattached to the base.

The hinge leg may further comprise a bore extending therethrough forreceiving the hinge pin, in use.

Preferably, the shaft of the hinge pin and the walls of the bore of thehinge leg comprise screw threading.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crate according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the crate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial section view of a lower locating means along lineA-A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section view of the crate along line B-B of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail view of area D in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of area E in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a section view of the crate along line C-C of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a detail view of area F in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fixable wall portion of a first sidewall of the crate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a detail view of area G of FIG. 9 illustrating a portion ofthe upper locating means;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a movable wall portion of a first side wall ofthe crate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a partial section view along line H-H of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of the base of a crate according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 14 shows the unassembled parts of a hinge of one embodimentaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 15 shows the hinge of FIG. 14, in use; and

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of crates according to the presentinvention stacked on top of one another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a crate 1 according to the inventionin an erected condition. The crate 1 includes a base 2, a pair of sidewalls 3, 4, a pair of end walls 5, 6, a lower locating means 7, alocking means 8a, 8b and an upper locating means 9.

The base 2 is substantially rectangular in plan and includes two sideedges 20, 21, two end edges 22, 23 and a pair of longitudinal members 24secured to each side edge 20, 21. The edges 20, 21, 22, 23 each includea respective upstanding wall portion 20a, 21a, 22a, 23a extendingtherealong. The longitudinal members 24 are fabricated from high tensilesteel in this embodiment and includes two spaced apart openings 24a, 24balong each side edge 20, 21 for receiving the forks (not shown) of aforklift (not shown) to allow the crate 1 to be transported, for exampleusing a forklift truck (not shown). Each longitudinal member 24 alsoincludes a cross runner 20b, 21b extending between the openings 24a, 24bat each side edge 20, 21 in order to provide rigidity to the base 2.

The two end walls 5, 6 are opposite each other as shown in FIG. 1. Eachend wall 5, 6 includes respective upper members 57, 67 as well asrespective first and second side members 51 and 52, vertical membersextending from the upper member to the lower member between the sidemembers, a horizontal member extending from one side member to the otherbetween the upper and lower members, and respective lower members 50(only one of each is shown in the FIG. 1). The members 50, 51, 52, 57are formed of tubular high tensile steel and define the respective edgesof their respective end wall 5, 6.

A first side wall 3 includes a movable or removable wall portion 30 anda fixed or fixable wall portion 35. The movable wall portion 30 includesside members 31, 32, a lower member 33 and an upper member 34, themembers 31, 32, 33, 34 formed of tubular high tensile steel and definingthe respective edges of the movable wall portion 30. The fixable frameportion 35 includes a cross member 36 and a pair of upstanding members37, 38.

The lower locating means 7, shown more clearly in FIG. 3, is provided byrespective cooperating parts 70, 71 of the lower member 33 of themovable wall portion 30 and the cross member 36 of the fixable frameportion 35. In this embodiment, the cooperating part 70 of the lowermember 33 is a recess 33a formed in and along a lower portion thereofand the cooperating part 71 of the cross member 36 is an upwardlyextending projection 36a on an upper portion thereof. The projection 36acomprises upwardly converging inner and outer wall portions that meet ata rounded apex. The recess 33a is defined by upwardly converging innerand outer wall portions that meet above the apex of the projection, withthe converging inner and outer wall portions being at least partiallydisposed inwardly and outwardly, respectively, of the projection 36a.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 6, each end wall 5, 6 is hinged to the base2 by three respective hinges 53a, 53b, 53c and 63a, 63b, 63c. Each hinge53a, 53b, 53c, 63a, 63b, 63c includes a hinge pin 54, 64 connectedthereto by a pair of opposed legs 55, 65, only one of which is shown.The pin 54, 64 extends through a hinge loop 56, 66 secured to theadjacent base wall 22a, 23a between the legs 55, 65. The hinges 53a,53b, 53c of one end wall 5 are located adjacent the lower end of thebase wall 22a to which they are connected, while the hinges 63a, 63b,63c of the other end wall 6 are located on base wall 23a at a verticalheight which is slightly higher to permit collapsing of the crate.

The second side wall 4, which is opposite the first side wall 3 as shownin FIG. 1, includes a lower member (not shown), a pair of side members(not shown) and an upper member (not shown) which are formed of tubularhigh tensile steel and define the respective edges of the second sidewall 4. The second side wall 4 is hinged to the base 2 by a hinge 43connected to the adjacent base wall 21a as shown in FIG. 7. The secondside wall 4 also includes a securing flange 47a extending from each ofthe first and second side members 40, only one of which is shown in theFigures, along its length on an inward facing side thereof. Each of thesecuring flanges (not shown) includes two securing holes (not shown)through its thickness.

Similarly, the cross member 36 of the fixable portion 35 of the firstside wall 3 is hinged to the base 2 by a hinge 39, similar to the hinge43, connected to the adjacent base wall 20a. Accordingly, only the hinge39 of the first side wall 3 will be described herein.

Referring to FIG. 8, the hinge 39 includes a box section 39a at each endof the base wall 20a, which box section has a vertically extending slot39b therein that receives a hinge rod 39c. The hinge rod 39c isconnected to the fixable frame portion 35 and is free to rotate andtranslate vertically within the hinge slot 39b.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, the cross member 36 of the fixableportion 35 includes a pair of hinge legs 36b, one of which extendsdownwardly from each end thereof and includes a hole 36c through itsthickness. The hinge rod 39c extends through each of these holes 36c andinto the slot 39b of the box sections 39a, thus providing a pivotableand vertically movable connection between the fixable frame portion 35and the base 2 of the crate 1. Each of the upstanding members 37, 38includes an end wall securing flange 37a, 38a, a locking hole 80a, 80band a tapered recess 90a, 90b with an aperture 91a, 91b at the base ofthe tapered recess 90a, 90b. Each end wall securing flange 37a, 38aextends along the length of its respective upstanding member 37, 38 on afirst side thereof and includes two securing holes 37b, 38b through itsthickness. Each recess 90a, 90b is adjacent the free end of itsrespective upstanding member 37, 38 and on the opposite side thereof tothe end wall securing flanges 37a, 38a. The locking holes 80a, 80b arelocated in opposed inner surfaces 37c, 38c of the upstanding members 37,38 adjacent and vertically lower than the respective tapered recess 90a,90b (in the orientation shown in FIG. 9).

Adjacent each recess 90a, 90b there is also provided an extensionportion 101. While extension portions 101 are shown only at the distalends of upstanding members 37, 38, they may also be present at thedistal ends of other wall edges, for example upstanding members 41, 42of side wall 4.

Turning to FIGS. 11 and 12, the movable wall portion 30 includes alocating flange 92a, 92b at each of its top corners and a lockingmechanism 8a, 8b under each locating flange 92a, 92b. Each of thelocating flanges 92a, 92b includes an outwardly facing flat surface 93a,93b and tapers inwardly to a flattened apex 94b on which is provided aspigot 95b, only one of which is shown in FIG. 12. Each lockingmechanism 8a, 8b includes a pin 81a, 81b connected to a support arm 82a,82b and includes a handle member 83a, 83b. The loaded locking pins 81aand 81b are biased towards an extended position.

When the crate is assembled and erected, as shown in FIG. 1, the endwalls 5, 6 are secured to the side walls 3, 4 by pins 10, 11 whichextend through the securing holes 37b, 38b in the securing flanges 37a,38a and through holes (not shown) in the end walls 5, 6. Rectangularlocks (not shown) protruding from the side wall 5 extend through therectangular securing holes 37d, 38d in the securing flanges 37a, 38a.

The locking means 8 in this embodiment is provided by the loaded lockingpins 81a, 81b of the movable wall portion 30 which are received within arespective locking hole 80a, 80b of the fixable wall portion 35. Thefurther locating means 9 in this embodiment is provided by the spigots95b of the movable wall portion 30 which are received, in use, within arespective aperture 91a, 91b of the fixable frame portion 35. Thetapered recesses 90a, 90b provide lead-ins for the spigots 95b andcooperate with the tapered locating flanges 92a, 92b to ensure that themovable wall portion 30 is in its located position with respect to thefixable wall portion 35.

Referring now to FIG. 13, there is shown, in isolation, a base 2′ of acrate of one embodiment of the present invention. The side and end wallsare omitted from FIG. 13 for the purposes of clarity.

The base 2′ includes two side edges, 20′, 21′, two end edges 22′, 23′and a pair of longitudinal members 24′ secured to each side edge 20′,21′. The longitudinal members 24′ comprise two spaced apart openings24a′, 24b′ along each side edge 20′,21′ for receiving the forks (notshown) of a forklift (not shown) to allow the crate to which the base 2′is attached to be transported.

In each of the four corners of the base 2′ there is provided an aperture100′. The aperture 100′ extends through the base 2′ and provides arecess for receiving an extension portion 101 of an immediate belowcrate, for example when the crates are stacked when in their erectedcondition. Extension portions 101 are discussed earlier in thespecification and are shown clearly in FIGS. 7, 9 and 10. In use, theextension portions 101 are sized such that they extend into theapertures 100′. They may extend just into or substantially into theaperture 100′ or such that they are flush with or extend past theopening of the aperture 100′.

Of course, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the apertures100′ and extension portions 101 may be interchanged without departingfrom the scope of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 14, there are shown components of a hinge assembly1000 of one embodiment of the crate of the present invention. The hingeassembly 1000 may represent any one of the hinges 39, 43, 53a, 53b, 53c,63a, 63b, 63c as previously discussed.

The hinge assembly 1000 comprises two parts: a body portion 1001 and ahinge pin 1002. The body portion 1001 comprises a substantiallyhorizontal portion 1003 having, at each end, opposed legs 1004 extendingorthogonally therefrom.

Approximate the distal end of each opposed leg 1004 there is comprisedan aperture 1005 extending therethrough. The apertures 1005 are arrangedsuch that they face one another along a common plane. The walls of theapertures 1005 are provided with screw thread (as depicted by thevertical lines shown in FIG. 14).

The body portion 1001 is mounted to a wall 2,3,4,5 of the crate 1, forexample, the side wall 3 as shown in FIG. 14.

The hinge pin 1002 is also threaded.

In use, the pin 1002 is wound through the aperture 1005 of a firstopposed leg before passing through a hinge loop 1006 secured to anadjacent wall of the base of the crate before being wound through anaperture 1005 of a second opposed leg in order to secure the wall to thebase of the crate.

Of course, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the body portion1001 may be attached to the base of the crate and the hinge loop (notshown) may be attached to the wall portion.

If the crate was to become damaged, for example the wall was to becomeunhinged during transportation, then the hinge pin 1002 would remainthreaded within the aperture 1005 of the body portion 1001 as shown inFIG. 15. Advantageously, this would prevent the hinge parts fromcontaminating the carried goods (not shown).

Referring now to FIG. 16, there are shown two crates according to thepresent invention stacked upon one another. Safe stacking is effectedbecause the extension portions 101 of the lower crate 1′ are inengagement with the apertures 100′ of the upper crate 1.

As previously disclosed, the crates are formed from high tensile steel.Due to their rigidity and high strength properties it is possible tostack the crates up to five high and transport them whilst stacked, e.g.using a forklift truck, without them collapsing. Moreover, it ispossible to remove the wall portion of any one or more crates whilestacked for easy access to their contents (as shown in FIG. 16) withoutsacrificing properties of rigidity and strength.

In use, the contents of the assembled and erected crate 1 shown in FIG.1 may be accessed by retracting the loaded locking pins 81a, 81b usingthe handle members 83a, 83b, which are pulled away from the upstandingmembers 37, 38 of the fixable portion 35, thus releasing the lockingmeans 8. The handle members 83a, 83b may then be used to pivot themovable wall portion 30 about its lower member 33, thus removing thespigots 95b from the apertures 91a, 91b and releasing the upper locatingmeans 9. The movable wall portion 30 may then be removed, for example byusing the handle members 83a, 83b and/or the side members 31, 32 andplaced in a convenient location adjacent the crate 1.

In order to replace the movable wall portion 30, it is lifted asdiscussed above and is placed such that the recess 33a in the lowermember 33 rests on or receives the protrusion 36a on the cross member 36of the fixable frame portion 35. The handle members 83a, 83b are againurged away from the upstanding members 37, 38 of the fixable portion 35to retract the locking pins 81a, 81b. The upper end of the movable wallportion 30 is then pivoted toward the fixable frame portion 35 until thespigots 95b are received within the apertures 91a, 91b and the lockingpins 81a, 81b are urged to engage the locking holes 80a, 80b.

As the movable wall portion 30 pivots, the lower locating means 7positively causes or encourages further pivoting and acts as an abutmentto keep the movable wall portion 30 in place when the crated is loaded.

Thus, the lower locating means 7 and the upper locating means 9independently and/or in combination provide a convenient and accuratemeans for locating and/or securing the removable wall portion 30relative a fixed portion 35 thereof to allow the resiliently urgedlocking means to engage the apertures.

It will be appreciated that the lower locating means 7 cooperates withthe loaded locking means 8 to locate and secure the removable wallportion 30 along its lower edge 33, thus preventing, for example,rotation about the locking pins 81a, 81b. This feature is partly due tothe vertical overlap of the protrusion 36a and recess 33a and partly dueto the horizontal extent of the overlap or cooperation.

Moreover, the upper locating means 9 provides accurate location of thelocking pins 81a, 81b relative to the locking holes 80a, 80b. Thisfacilitates quick and easy movement and/or removal and/or replacement ofthe movable or removable portion 30 relative to the fixed portion 35.

In order to collapse the crate 1, the movable portion 30 is secured inplace using the lower locating means 7, the locking means 8 and theupper locating means 9 as described above. The pins 10, 11 of a first ofthe end walls 5 are removed and the first end wall 5 is pivoted inwardlyof the crate 1 about its hinges 53a, 53b, 53c until it rests on the base2. The pins 10, 11 of the second end wall 6 are then removed and thesecond end wall is pivoted inwardly about its hinges 63a, 63b, 63c untilit rests on the first end wall 5. The second side wall 4 is lifted (byvirtue of its vertically extending hinge slot (not shown)) as requiredand pivoted inwardly about its hinge 43 until it rests on the second endwall 6. The first side wall 3 is then lifted vertically as required (byvirtue of its vertically extending hinge slot 39b) and pivoted inwardlyabout its hinge 39 until it rests on the second side wall 4.

In this collapsed position, a plurality of crates 1 may be stacked oneon top of the other for transportation, for example as described in WO03/055755.

It will be appreciated that the provision of a movable and/or removablewall portion 30 which extends across the majority of the side wall 3provides simple, easy and unhindered access to the contents of the crate1.

It will also be appreciated that several variations of the embodimentdescribed herein are envisaged without departing from the scope of theinvention. For example, the first locating means 36 need not be providedat and/or along the lower edge 33 of the movable wall portion 30 and/ormay be replaced by a permanently connected hinge for example. The loweredge 33 may be provided with a projection, which may extend along itslength or only be present at one or more regions thereof. Additionallyor alternatively the first locating means 36 may be provided in part bya projection or recess in a portion of the movable wall portion 30adjacent but spaced from the lower edge 33.

Moreover, the other side wall 4 may advantageously have a movable orremovable portion (not shown) similar to that of the first side wall 3.This would provide more flexibility, albeit with a greater degree ofcomplexity.

The pins 10, 11 which extend through the securing holes 37b, 38b in thesecuring flanges 37a, 38a and through holes in the end walls 5, 6 tosecure the end walls 5, 6 to the fixable portion 35, may comprise anysecuring means such as nut and bolt arrangements.

The fixed or fixable portion 35 may be omitted in part or in itsentirety and, for example, some or all of the features thereof may beincorporated in one or more end walls 5, 6 and/or in the base 2.

The removable wall portion 30 may comprise a hinge, for exampleseparating it into upper and lower parts similar to the crate describedin WO 03/055755.

Whilst the crate disclosed herein is formed of high tensile steel, itmay comprise any suitable material such as aluminium, rigid plasticsmaterial or the like.

The three hinges 53a, 53b, 53c and 63a, 63b, 63c which respectivelyconnect the end walls 5, 6 to the base 2 may be replaced by a singlehinge (not shown) or any number of hinges (not shown).

Any feature disclosed herein and/or its function may be provided and/orclaimed in isolation and/or in combination.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully illustrate ourinvention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge,adopt the same for use under various conditions of service.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A collapsible crate having an erected and acollapsed condition for transporting goods in the erected condition, thecrate having a base and upstanding walls, i) at least one of theupstanding walls comprising a frame and a removable wall portion, theframe including a cross member and the frame being hingedly attached tothe base portion, the removable wall portion having a lower member; ii)locating means; and iii) releasable locking means for releasablysecuring in the erected condition the movable wall portion relative tothe frame, iv) the locating means being provided by an upwardlyextruding projection of the lower member of the removable wall portionco-operating with a recess in the cross member of the frame to align, inuse, the removable wall portion relative to the frame such that theremovable wall portion is releasably securable in the erected conditionby the releasable locking means and on release of the releasably lockingmeans to permit the removeable wall portion to be pivoted outwardlyrelative to the frame about the locating means.
 2. The crate accordingto claim 1, further comprising further releasable locking means at oradjacent an upper portion of the removable wall portion.
 3. The crateaccording to claim 1, wherein the locating means is operably cooperable,in use, with the releasable locking means to secure the lower portion ofthe removable wall portion against movement thereof.
 4. The crateaccording to claim 1, wherein the projection is provided on one of theremovable wall portion and the frame.
 5. The crate according to claim 4,wherein the recess or aperture is provided in the other of the removablewall portion and the frame.
 6. The crate according to claim 1, furthercomprising a further locating means located at or adjacent an upper endor edge of the removable wall portion.
 7. The crate according to claim6, wherein said further locating means comprises a projection, which isprovided on one of the removable wall portion and an adjacent portion ofthe frame.
 8. The crate according to claim 7, wherein the projection ofsaid further locating means is receivable within a recess or aperture,in the other of the removable wall portion and the adjacent portion ofthe frame.
 9. The crate according to claim 6, wherein the furtherlocating means is operably cooperable, in use, with the releasablelocking means to secure the removable wall portion against movementthereof.
 10. The crate according to claim 7 wherein the further locatingmeans is operably cooperable, in use, with the releasable locking meansto secure the removable wall portion against movement thereof.
 11. Thecrate according to claim 7 wherein the projection of said furtherlocating means is receivable within a recess or aperture in the other ofthe removeable wall portion and the adjacent portion of the frame andwherein the further locating means is operably cooperable, in use, withthe releasable locking means to secure the removable wall portionagainst movement thereof.
 12. The crate according to claim 1 wherein theat least one of the upstanding walls comprising the frame and theremoveable wall portion is connected to the base by a pivotable andvertically moveable connection.
 13. A collapsible crate having anerected and a collapsed condition for transporting goods in the erectedcondition, the crate having a base and upstanding walls, i) at least oneof the upstanding walls comprising a frame and a removable wall portion,the frame including a cross member and the frame being hingedly attachedto the base, the removable wall portion having a lower member; ii)locating means; and iii) a releasable locking mechanism for releasablysecuring in the erected condition the removable wall portion relative tothe frame, iv) the locating means being provided by an upwardlyextending projection of the cross member of the frame co-operating witha recess in the lower member of the removable wall portion to align, inuse, the removable wall portion relative to the frame such that theremovable wall portion is releasably securable in the erected conditionby the releasable locking mechanism and on release of the releasablelocking mechanism to permit the removable wall portion to be pivotedoutwardly relative to the frame about the locating means, wherein theprojection is within the recess, the recess being partially defined byan outer portion of the lower member disposed outward of the projection,and the recess being partially defined by an inner portion of the lowermember disposed inward of the projection, wherein the removable wallportion has freedom to pivot while the projection is within the recess,wherein the projection comprises upwardly converging inner and outerwall portions that meet at a rounded apex, and wherein the inner andouter portions that define the recess converge upwardly and meet abovethe apex of the projection.
 14. The collapsible crate of claim 13wherein the removable wall portion extends to the top of the collapsiblecrate when the collapsible crate is in an erected condition.
 15. Thecollapsible crate of claim 13 wherein the lower member of the removablewall portion is formed of tubular steel.
 16. The collapsible crate ofclaim 13 wherein the releasable locking mechanism is at or adjacent anupper portion of the removable wall portion.
 17. The collapsible crateof claim 13 wherein the locating means is operably cooperable, in use,with the releasable locking mechanism to secure the lower portion of theremovable wall portion against movement thereof.
 18. The collapsiblecrate of claim 13 further comprising a further locating means located ator adjacent an upper end or edge of the removable wall portion whereinthe further locating means is operably cooperable, in use, with thereleasable locking mechanism to secure the removable wall portionagainst movement thereof.
 19. The crate according to claim 18, whereinsaid further locating means comprises a projection, which is provided onone of the removable wall portion and an adjacent portion of the frame.20. The crate according to claim 19, wherein the projection of saidfurther locating means is receivable within a recess or aperture, in theother of the removable wall portion and the adjacent portion of theframe.
 21. The crate according to claim 13 wherein the frame is hingedlyattached to the base by a pivotable and vertically moveable connection.